In recent years, there has been growing demands for electrophotography-type image-forming devices which use toners for developing electrostatic images, such as copying machines and printers, to increase printing speed, decrease power consumption and provide long-term image stability. Measures have been taken to respond to the demands for increase in printing speed and decrease in power consumption, such as designing a toner composition to provide a toner with a low fixing temperature. However, such a toner composition causes toner aggregation, decrease in blocking resistance and decrease in peelability from a fixing roller. Therefore, there is still a demand for a toner having high shelf stability and peelability.
To respond to the demand for long-term image stability, it is important to improve printing durability and thin line reproducibility of toners.
In recent years, there is also an increasing demand for image-forming devices in areas where the average temperature is high; therefore, there is a demand for a toner which is able to exhibit high long-term printing durability even under a high temperature condition.
It has been known that a wax is contained in toner particles to lower the fixing temperature of a toner. Patent Literature 1 discloses a toner for electrophotography comprising a plant-derived natural wax such as a carnauba wax, a candelilla wax or the like.
It has also been known that a natural wax is used in combination with a synthetic hydrocarbon wax to take a balance of fixability and peelability. Patent Literature 2 discloses a dry toner comprising a plant wax and a synthetic hydrocarbon wax.